What 22k gold is
22k gold is 22 parts gold in 24, about 91.6% pure, which is what the 916 mark on some pieces means. With 21k, it is one of the two karats Qatar’s jewellers sell most, and it is the usual karat for jewellery in India, so many residents know it from home.
Working out the price of a 22k piece
Final price = weight × gram rate + weight × making charge. Qatar charges no VAT on gold so far, so nothing else is added.
For a 10-gram 22k chain, QAR 20 a gram making brings it to about QAR 4,769, and QAR 50 a gram to about QAR 5,069. A pavan (8 grams) of 22k jewellery with QAR 20 a gram making comes to about QAR 3,815.
22k versus 21k and 24k
22k costs about QAR 20.77 a gram more than 21k today and about QAR 41.53 less than 24k. 21k is common in Gulf designs, while 24k is almost pure gold and is mostly sold as bars and coins, including the 10-tola TT bar.
Selling 22k gold back
Shops buy 22k back at about QAR 439.11 a gram today, an estimate about 1% below the world price. They pay the weight × that rate only, so the making charge does not come back: the 10-gram chain above, bought for about QAR 4,769, would fetch about QAR 4,391.